Recipe
Chinese Takeaway Curry Sauce
A glossy Chinese takeaway-style curry sauce with gentle warmth, savoury soy depth and a smooth, spoon-coating finish for rice, chips or stir-fried vegetables at home.
Ingredients
Method
10 mins prep15 mins cook25 mins total
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until softened without browning.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the curry powder and turmeric and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Pour in the hot stock, then add the soy sauce and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes so the onion and spices soften.
Stir the cornflour with the cold water to make a smooth slurry. Pour it into the simmering sauce in a thin stream, stirring constantly, and cook for 1–2 minutes until glossy and thickened.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Use immediately with rice, chips, chicken, prawns, tofu or stir-fried vegetables.
Notes
Cook the onion until softened before adding the spices; this gives the sauce a rounder flavour and helps prevent the curry powder from tasting raw. Add the cornflour slurry gradually, as the sauce will thicken further after a minute of simmering.
About this recipe
This Chinese takeaway-style curry sauce is a useful base for turning simple ingredients into a comforting, glossy meal. Onion, garlic and ginger give it a savoury foundation, while mild curry powder and turmeric bring the familiar golden colour and gentle warmth associated with a classic takeaway curry.
The sauce is built on hot stock and finished with soy sauce and a little sugar for balance. A cornflour slurry thickens it without making it heavy, leaving a smooth texture that clings to chicken, prawns, tofu or vegetables. Keep the heat moderate while the spices cook so they become fragrant without catching.
